Centrifugal liquid-separator.



PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905 G. M. KBTGHAM. GBNTRIPUGAL LIQUID SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 24. 1905.

. .R 2, m 4 1 I 6 u M 1 V I m I z a v A c M a H ll g A/ M 6 g j x?[.1111 7 L I y M a a aafiww UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed January 24, 1905. Serial No. 242,577.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CAssIUs M. KETOHAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oarthage, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating toCentrifugal Liquid-Separators, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to centrifugal machines, and has for its object toproduce a ma chine of this type arranged and adapted for use as acream-separator and that is simple in construction and the parts ofwhich are separable and detachable, whereby they may be easily cleaned.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation, partly insection, of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the separable head or closure at the feed end of the bowl orcentrifugal separating-chamber. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of theskimming device. -Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the adjustingdevice for the skimmer. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of thebracket or arm in which the machine is supported.

In the drawings, A represents an upright frame or support provided witha lateral extension A, within which are mounted the lower 7 bearings andthe driving mechanism for the centrifugal machine.

At B is indicated an arm or bracket secured to the support A and inwhich is provided a bearing for the upper portion of the centrifugalmachine, as indicated at G. The bracket is formed with a rabbetedopening 0 for the bearing C and is cut away or slotted, as indicated atc, to permit the hollow shaft or axial portion 12 of the centrifugalapparatus to be passed into and out of the openingb laterally. It willof course be understood that the bearing G will have to be movedlongitudinally along the shaft and out of line with the bracket beforethese lateral motions can take place.

The bowl or centrifugal separating-receptacle of my machine consists ofa relatively long internally-unobstructed cylinder of small diameterprovided at its lower end with a separable bottom or base 3 of aninverted-truncated-cone shape united to the bowl by screwthreads. To thetruncated lower end of the base is secured a tubular part3, extendingdownward in the line of axial rotation of the bowl. This part ispreferably integral with the base and is formed with the closed end 4,which is preferably shaped for connection with the driving-shaft. 5 5indicate apertures extending through the cone-shaped base, preferablynear the lower end thereof, and 6 is an aperture through the wall of thetubular part 3 of the base, preferably opposite the floor of the closedend 4 thereof. Through these apertures is discharged the material beingoperated upon, the lighter gradecream, when milk is the substance beingtreatedpassing through the aperture 6, and the heavier grades, theskimmed milk, through the apertures 5.

Mounted on the support A are two collecting pans or receptacles 7 8, oneabove the other, and preferably surrounding the base 3 and tube 3 andarranged to receive and collect the liquid which flows through theapertures 5 and 6, respectively, and deliver it to the discharge-pipes 910, through which it is carried off.

The upper end of the bowl is provided with a separable head or closure11, united to the tubular portion of the bowl 2 by screw-threads andarranged to close the upper end thereof.

I preferably form this head or closure with a tubular extension 12, thatis arranged to form an inlet through which the milk is fed to theapparatus and also to serve as the shaft or axle of rotation at the feedend of the apparatus, this tubular extension being mounted in thebearing C.

A plate 17, transversely arranged relative to the axis of rotation ofthe bowl, is disposed opposite the opening 14 through the head 11 and ashort distance therefrom. This plate serves as a spreader for the liquidentering the separating chamber and prevents the newly-added quantity ofliquid from commingling with that alreadyin the separatingchamber beforeit has itself been subjected to the centrifugal force incident to therapid rotation. A series of blades 13 is arranged between the plate 17and the head or closure 11, four of them being shown, though a greateror less number might be employed. They serve both as the means forsupporting the plate and as rotating blades to impart a rotation to theliquid immediately upon its entering the separating-chamber. The bladesextend radially from the outer edge or wall of the feed-opening 14 closeto the inner wall of the bowl 2. The plate is sufliciently smaller indiameter than the cross-area of the bowl 2 to leave space between it andthe wall of the tube or bowl for the desired flow of liquid betweenthem.

15 indicates a vent-tube for carrying off any IIO . any usual orpreferred construction.

air that may enter the separating-chamber. It extends downward throughthe head 11 and through the plate 17.

Above the tubular bearing portion 12 of the head or closure I arrange'aliquid-reservoir D, from which the liquid may be delivered in suitablequantities to the bowl 2through the inlet 14.

In order to provide means whereby the skimmed milk and the cream may bedirected into their delivery-apertures 5 and 6, I ar range within thebase 3 an adjustable skim- Ining device 18, which is preferably offunnel shape and consists of the cone-shaped portion 19, preferably of ashape to it the inner surface of the base 3, and a tubular portion 20,extending downwardly from the cone-shaped portion 19 and of a size toclosely fit within the tube portion 3 of the base. The axis of thefunnel or cone-shaped part of the skimming device is shorter than theaxis of the cone-shaped portion of the base 3 of the bowl, so that thediameter of the base of the cone portion of the funnel is less than thediameter of the base of the cone of base 3. From this it is obvious thatif the skimmer be raised from its lowermost position in which the funnelportion fits close against the inner walls of the base 3 there will beformed an annular space between the upper edge of the skimmer and theadjacent wall of the bowl and that the size of this annular space willincrease as the skimmer is raised, until its upper edge comes oppositeto the base or upper edge of the coneshaped lower portion of the bowl.The passage that leads from the bowl to the openings through which thewatery constituents of the milk are delivered may thus be varied in sizeby adjusting the skimmer in the direction of the axis of rotation of thebowl, and as the size of the passage that leads to the opening oropenings through which the cream is delivered is constant it followsthat the relations of these two passages can be varied, and accordinglythe proportions delivered, respectively, through the openings 5 and 6may be varied.

I have provided means for effecting the adjustmentof the skimmingdevice. It consists, preferably, of a screw-threaded member 21, providedwith an eccentrically-disposed projection 22, with which the skimmer isconnected by a bayonet-joint 22. It will be evident that by adjustingthe screw the skimmer is accordingly raised or lowered and is by thesemeans brought to its desired position.

The driving-shaft 23 for the bowl is mounted in the extension A of theframe and is connected by some sort of separable joint, as indicated at24, with the lower end of the bowl. The opposite end of the shaft ismounted in a step or thrust bearing at 25, which may be of A train ofgearing, of which only the last wheel 26 is illustrated, is of a typecommonly employed in apparatus of the kind to which my inventionbelongs. The wheel 26 engages with a spiral gear 27 which is in the formof a sleeve loosely mounted upon the shaft 23 and free to move thereonto a limited extent, being prevented from dropping down too low by acollar 28, secured to the shaft. Its upper end is formed into a clutchmember 29, that is adapted to, engage with a clutch member 30, carriedby the shaft 23. The driving-wheel 26 turns in the direction indicatedby the arrow thereupon, and its tendency is both to rotate thespiral-gear sleeve 27 and to lift it so that it comes into clutchingengagement with the shaft 23, thereby connecting the gearing with thebowl. If from any cause during the operation of the apparatus thedriving-gearing should slow down, so that the tendency of the bowl is torun faster than the spiral gear 27, this is permitted by reason of thegear being loosely mounted on the shaft and held in engagement with theclutch-face of the latter by the action of the driving-wheel 26, for thegear-sleeve 27 will be forced backward and downward upon the shaftsufficiently far to allow the bowl to run ahead and the cam-surfaces ofthe clutch 30 to pass those of the clutch 29 until either the speed ofthe motor increases to or beyond that of the bowl or the latter isreduced to that of the motor.

The operation of my device may be described as follows: The liquid to beseparated passes from the reservoir D through the inletpassage let inthe axial extension 12 and entering the bowl first strikes against theplate 17, where it is caught by the blades 13 and thrown outward againstthe inner circumference of the bowl 2 by the centrifugal motion impartedto the liquid through the movements of the blades. As the milk escapesinto the unobstructed portion of the bowl, which is the part between theplate 17 and the skimmer, it has had imparted to it the motion of thebowl, which motion is maintained owing to the small size of the tubularpart of the bowl and its high speed of rotation. As the milk graduallypasses down the tube 2 toward the delivery end thereof there is ampleopportunity for the separation of the oily portions from the wateryconstituents thereof, such separa tion being sufliciently accomplishedby the time the liquid reaches the tapering basc portion 3. The heavierwatery portions of the milk being thrown outward by the centrifugaloperation of the apparatus pass into the space between the funnel of theskimmer and the wall of the base and escape through the apertures 5,while the cream passes down through the funnel and the tube 20 and outat the aperture 6. As the relative size of the opening from the tube 2into the space leading to the openings 5 by the adjustment of theskimmer may be varied, so the relative amounts drawn from the openings 5and 6 may be changed.

WVhen it is desired to clean the apparatus, the reservoir D is removed,the bearing is raised out of its seat, and the bowl removed, this beingpermitted by the construction of the bracket B and the separable jointat 24:. The ends of the bowl, the tapering base 3,

' and the head or closure 11 are then removed,

which leaves the tube 2 open-ended and entirely unobstructed. Theskimmer is removable and the other parts of so simple construction andso easily accessible that they may be cleaned without difficulty andthoroughly.

It will be observed that the apertures through which the differentgrades into which the milk or other liquid is separated are deliveredare not contracted by the adjustment of the skimmer for the purpose ofregulating the relative flow through the apertures.

The lifting tendency of the wheel 26 upon the spiral gear 27 willusually be sufficient to operate the clutch; but I may, if founddesirable, interpose a weak spring 31 between the collar 28 and the endof the spiral sleeve 27.

What I claim is 1. In a centrifugal liquid-separator, a bowl cone-shapedat the discharge end, a tube extending beyond the cone-shaped end inline with the axis of rotation of the bowl, there beingdischarge-apertures leading from the cone-shaped end portion for theheavier grades of the liquid and an aperture leading from the axialtubular part for the discharge of the lighter grades of the liquid, atubular separating device concentric with the cone-shaped end of thebowl and connected at one end with the discharge-tube and having itsouter end open and extending toward the interior of the bowl, and meansfor rotating the bowl at high speed, substantially as set forth.

2. In a centrifugal liquid-separator, a bowl provided with aninverted-cone-shaped base through which is formed a discharge-aperture,and a tube extending therefrom in line with the axis of rotation of thebowl and provided with a discharge-aperture leading therefrom, and meansfor rotating the bowl at a high speed, substantially as set forth;

3. In a centrifugal liquid-separator, a bowl comprising an open-endedtube, a separable closure or head at the feed end thereof, a separableend of cone shape at the discharge end, a tube extending beyond thecone-shaped end in line with the axis of rotation of the bowl, therebeing discharge-apertures leading from the cone-shaped end portion forthe heavier grades of the liquid and an aperture leading from the axialtubular part for the discharge of the lighter grades of the liquid, atubular separating device concentric with the coneshaped end of the bowland connected at one end with the discharge-tube and having its otherend open and extending toward the interior of the bowl, and means forrotating the bowl at high speed, substantially as set forth.

4;. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotating bowlhaving a feed-opening at one end, a spreader-plate disposed transverselyacross and at a short distance from the feed-opening, andradially-disposed blades arranged between the spreader-plate and thefeed-opening, substantially as set forth.

5. In a centrifugal liquid-separator, the combination ofa bowlcomprisinga relatively long tube, the discharge devices at one endof the tube, thefeed-opening being at the other end of the tube, a spreader-platearranged at a short distance from and in a plane transversely across thefeed-opening, and radiallydisposed blades for causing the liquid topartake of the rotary movement of the bowl arranged between thespreader-plate and the feed end of the bowl, the tubular part of thebowl between the spreader-plate and the discharge-orifices beinginteriorly free and unobstructed, substantially as set forth.

6. In a centrifugal liquid-separator, the combination of a rotating bowlhaving a feedopening at one end, a spreader-plate disposed transverselyacross and at a short distance from the feed-opening and arranged toprevent the freshly-added liquid from commingling with thepartially-separated liquid at the axial center of the bowl, andavent-tubeleading from below the spreader-plate, substantially as setforth.

7. In a centrifugal liquid-separator, the combination of a rotating bowlhaving separate discharge-orifices through which the material ofdifferent grades is discharged, means for separating the lower part ofthe bowl into two concentric portions, the outer portion being arrangedto receive the heavier grades of the liquid and the inner portion thelighter grades, these separate portions communicating respectively withthe separate dischargeorifices, and means for varying the relative sizesof these separated portions of the bowl in order to regulate therelative flow through the dischargeorifices, substantially as set forth.

8. In a centrifugal liquid-separator,the combination of a rotating bowlhaving its discharge end of tapering form and being pro vided withseparate discharge-openings for the different grades into which theliquid is separated, an open-ended tubular wall concentric with thetapering discharge end of the bowl, and means for adjusting the saidtubular wall in the direction of the axis of rotation of the bowl,substantially as set forth.

9. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a rotating bowl havinga tapering discharge end and separate discharge-orifices, a taperingopen-ended tubular wall concentric with the inner wall of the taperingbase of the bowl and interiorly connected with one of thedischarge-openings while the other discharge-opening is connected withthe bowl on the outside of the said separating-wall, and adjusting meansfor moving the funnel-shaped &

wall in the direction of the axis of rotation of the bowl, substantiallyas set forth.

10 tition-wall 19 of funnel shape, open at its upper end, and at itslower end formed into a tubular portion and arranged to fit closelywithin the tubular part 3 of the end of the bowl, and a screw-adjustingdevice 21 for the skimming device, substantially as set forth.

CASSIUS M. KETCHAM.

Witnesses:

B. H. ESTERLY, INA JOURNEY.

